


The Orca Plushie

by Tinni



Series: HMS Friendship [4]
Category: Free!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-18
Updated: 2014-06-09
Packaged: 2017-12-26 22:26:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/970994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tinni/pseuds/Tinni
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A tale from the kindergarten days of Makoto and Haru.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ori-chan

**Author's Note:**

> This is from all the chibi Makoto and chibi Haru fanart on Tumblr. Oh, who am I kidding. This is advance penance for the when I do horrible, terrible things to Makoto in my [other fic](http://archiveofourown.org/works/968974/chapters/1902794).

Little Makoto’s favourite toy in the whole world was a orca plushie. He had got it at the sea life centre. His parents had taken him to see the centre’s killer whale exhibit and Makoto had been really impressed by the magnificent creatures. They were wonderful, so big and powerful. They didn’t seem afraid of anything. One day he hoped to be a big and strong and… what was the word his father had used? Majestic! That was it! Tachibana Makoto, age 4, wanted to grow-up to be just as big and strong and majestic as the orcas he saw. But most of all, he wanted to be as unafraid as the orcas had seemed.

 

Because Makoto was scared right now. Scared because he had to go to school again. He hated school. So many kids all being loud and noisy. He didn’t know anyone except Haruka. Haruka was a boy who lived nearby, just up the big steps in fact. Makoto often saw Haruka when he was allowed to play with the cats outside. But Haruka never spoke to him or anyone else for that matter. Still Haruka was nice in his own way and always nodded to Makoto when Makoto smiled and waved at him. At school Haruka let Makoto sit near him and even though they didn’t speak, Makoto felt more comfortable being near someone he knew somewhat.

 

“Mummy, can I take Ori-chan with me to school today?” Makoto asked, pointing to his orca doll.

 

“Why honey? Don’t they have toys for you at school?” wondered his mother.

 

“Everybody loves the school toys so much that they are always playing with them. I don’t want to fight them for it. Besides, I rather play with Ori-chan!” Makoto explained.

 

“Okay honey, you can take Ori-chan today,” his mother said.

 

Makoto face lit-up with a big smile, “Thanks mom! You are the best!” Now Makoto wasn’t afraid anymore. He had ori-chan to play with all day.

 

* * *

 

Makoto got to school and like always was overwhelmed by the sheer number and energy of the other children, if only because he didn’t know anyone and while he would have liked to be friends with them, they already seemed to have friends of their own and Makoto didn’t want to intrude. So he just cuddled Ori-chan and looked for a place to sit down. That’s when he noticed Haruka.

 

Haruka was sitting in a corner table with a box of crayons and lots of lots of drawing paper. Even though Haruka was concentrating on his drawing, Makoto smiled at him and moved towards him. Sitting down at an empty chair next to him. Haruka looked-up when Makoto was seated and nodded faintly. Makoto was more than happy with the acknowledgement as that was more than Haruka usually gave when he was busy drawing.

 

The teacher soon got the kids settled and working but eventually it was time for a break. Since Makoto already had Ori-chan and Haruka already had his drawing supplies, neither bothered to try to get toys from the toy chest. Makoto wanted to look at Haruka’s drawing but he was too scared to ask and didn’t want to peek in-case Haruka got angry. So he tried to concentrate on Ori-chan but every now and again, he found himself looking at what Haruka was doing.

 

Haruka seemed to be drawing the sea and to Makoto, it seemed he was very good at drawing. Makoto wanted to tell Haruka how good he was but he was scared that he would say the wrong thing. So he thought carefully about the right thing to say and was just mustering up the courage to tell Haruka when he was distracted by one of the bigger kids in the class.

 

The other boy had been playing with a police car that lit-up, had a siren and everything but he said in a whining voice, “I am bored!” he kicked the car and looked around for something new. That’s when he saw Makoto’s orca plushie, “Where did you get that?” the boy demanded, “I have never seen that before.”

 

“It’s mine,” said Makoto, “I bought it from home.”

 

“Well don’t hog it!” said the other boy, “Share!”

 

“But… but I don’t want to! It’s mine!” protested Makoto. Makoto didn’t mind sharing his toys but he didn’t even know this boy and he didn’t like how the boy was demanding he share. Plus Ori-chan was special! Makoto wasn’t going to give Ori-chan to just anybody! Specially a person who kicked their toys!

 

“Come on,” said the boy, going to grab the toy, “I just want to play with it a little.”

 

“No!” protested Makoto, stumbling out of his chair, bumping into Haruka who gave both Makoto and the other boy an assessing stare but said nothing. Makoto started backing away from the boy, “You can’t have Ori-chan!”

 

“Ori-chan? That’s a silly name! You don’t even know how to name your toys properly!” the boy declared, “So come on! Let me have a look, I might even be able to give it a proper name.”

 

“I like Ori-chan! Ori-chan doesn’t need a new name!” said Makoto, backing-up until his back hit the wall.

 

Having cornered Makoto, the bigger boy was able to grab hold of the orca plushies and pull it out of Makoto’s grasp, since Makoto was a lot smaller and weaker than the other boy, “Give it back!” cried Makoto as he lunged for it but the boy simply held the toy over his head, away from Makoto’s grasp. Makoto felt tears start to gather in his eyes

 

“Don’t be such a cry baby,” chided the boy, “Just let me play…” thats when he heard the siren of the police car he had just abandoned.

Haruka was playing with the police car with a big smile on his face, “Hey!” screamed the other boy, “I didn’t say you could play with my car!” the boy dropped the Orca plushies without a second thought and went to wrestle the car away from Haruka.

 

Makoto ignored what was happening with Haruka and the boy and just scooped-up Ori-chan and hugged it to his chest tightly. Tears streaked down his cheeks but he didn’t care. He almost lost Ori-chan! His only friend in the whole wide world and he almost lost him!

 

“Are you alright?” asked Haruka. Makoto didn’t even realise he had his eyes screwed shut until he had to open them to look at Haruka through a mist of tears. “Don’t cry,” Haruka said as he gently rubbed the tears into Makoto’s cheeks like his grandmother did for him, whenever he cried, “He didn’t really want Ori-chan,” Makoto was amazed that Haruka had picked-up his Orca’s name, “He was just bored. My grandmother says that bored people go for anything other people have but as soon as someone else tries to take what they have, they go right back to it.”

 

“Is… is that why Haru-chan started playing with the car?” asked Makoto.

 

Haruka nodded, “I don’t like toys like that,” he hesitated for a moment before adding, “Makoto.”

 

“Then what kind of toys do you like?” wondered Makoto.

 

“Toys like Ori-chan because I love the sea,” said Haruka.

 

“Then, then do you want to play with Ori-chan?” asked Makoto, freely offering the plushie to Haruka.

 

“I rather play with you,” said Haruka and watched in amazement when Makoto’s whole face lit-up with nearly overwhelming happiness, “Come,” encouraged Haruka, “You wanted to see my drawings didn’t you?”

 

“How did you know?” wondered Makoto.

 

“I saw you look at them and then trying not to look at them,” Haruka said with a smile.

  
“I… I can look?” asked Makoto, amazed. Haru nodded. Makoto smiled again and quickly sat back down next to Haruka and started looking over all his drawing. They were mostly of the sea and they were beautiful. Specially the one of a majestic orca!


	2. Ori-chan vs Haru-chan

Little Makoto’s favourite toy in the whole world was an orca plushie. He got it at the sea life centre. His parents had taken him to see the centre’s killer whale exhibit and Makoto had been really impressed by the magnificent creatures. They were wonderful, so big and powerful. They didn’t seem afraid of anything. One day he hoped to be a big and strong and… what was the word his father had used? Majestic! That was it! Tachibana Makoto, age 4, wanted to grow-up to be just as big and strong and majestic as the orcas he saw. That’s why he loved his orca plushie, Ori-chan.

 

Ori-chan had also helped Makoto become really good friends… no best friends with Haru-chan! That made Makoto love Ori-chan even more! Which was unfortunate because Haru-chan really hated Ori-chan.

 

“Stupid plushie!” thought Haru as he and Makoto settled in for a nap. It was the weekend and they had been playing outside, on the strip of beach near their house all day. So both were worn out and ready to have an afternoon nap.

 

Makoto’s mother had laid out the futon so Haru and Makoto could share a bed but instead of cuddling Haru, Makoto was cuddling Ori-chan! “Stupid plushie,” Haru thought again, not that he was jealous or anything but the day that had started off fine was now kind of getting cold and so Haru thought that cuddling with Makoto would be kind of nice. He supposed he could just ask for a warmer blanket but even in his short life, Haru had realised that sometimes a warmer blanket was just too warm. Sometimes it was just best to cuddle with Makoto, who Haru grudgingly admitted was now his best friend. Which is why Makoto loving Ori-chan felt wrong! Makoto should only love Haru!

 

“Haru-chan, why are you pouting?” asked Makoto innocently.

 

“I am not pouting,” said Haru.

 

“You are! You are totally pouting!” said Makoto, “And you are also giving Ori-chan mean looks! Do you, maybe want to hug Ori-chan?”

 

“No!” said Haru.

 

“But…” Makoto was distressed and confused, “Haru-chan is upset!”

 

Haru didn’t want Makoto to be unhappy. Maybe it would be okay if Haru asked Makoto for what he wanted. “Cu… cuddle with me,” said Haru, looking away.

 

“Alright, Haru-chan!” even though Haru wasn’t looking at Makoto, Haru could tell Makoto had a big, bright smile on his face.

 

Haru slowly faced Makoto as he felt Makoto cuddle-up to him and came face to face with Ori-chan! Makoto had put Ori-chan between them and seemed intent to cuddle Haru and Ori-chan together. Haru, however, was having none of it! He grabbed Ori-chan and was about to throw the plushie away but stopped when he saw the troubled look on Makoto’s face. So instead he put Ori-chan on the other side of Makoto, explaining, “I just want Makoto.”

  
“Okay, Haru-chan!” this time Haru got a full face of Makoto’s bright smile, “Today, I’ll just cuddle with Haru-chan,” even at four years of age, Haru felt embarrassed by the overflow of affection from Makoto. Thus Haru learnt that Makoto could say some embarrassing things with ease and that he, Nanase Haruka, could be very jealous of an orca plushie.


	3. Goodbye Ori-chan

Little Makoto’s favourite toy in the whole world was an orca plushie. He got it at the sea life centre. His parents had taken him to see the centre’s killer whale exhibit and Makoto had been really impressed by the magnificent creatures. They were wonderful, so big and powerful. They didn’t seem afraid of anything. One day he hoped to be a big and strong and… what was the word his father had used? Majestic! That was it! Tachibana Makoto, age , wanted to grow-up to be just as big and strong and majestic as the orcas he saw. That’s why he loved his orca plushie, Ori-chan.

 

Still, as the years went by, Makoto played with Ori-chan less and less. He mostly just slept with the well loved and thus well worn toy. But that was important because Ori-chan guarded Makoto’s dreams and kept him safe after the lights were turned down. Then, came the day that everything changed.

 

“You are going to be a big brother, Makoto!” his parents told him, as his mother rubbed her belly.

 

“A big brother…” Makoto repeated, as if he was weighing the words on his tongue. They felt heavy.

 

Makoto knew a few big brothers. He had a cousin who was a big brother. He was always watching out for his little sisters and when Makoto went to visit, Makoto too. He also knew a bad big brother. A girl in his class had an absolute bully for a big brother who was always tormenting her. He was so used to getting away with it, he didn’t even try to hide it! Makoto definitely didn’t want to be a cruel big brother. He wanted to be a good big brother who loved and protected his little brother or sister.

 

“But if I am a big brother,” thought Makoto, “Then I have to be brave and strong! I can’t rely on Ori-chan anymore or even Haru-chan…” the thought of having to stand on his own all the time scared Makoto but, “I am going to be a big brother! So I’ll get brave and strong just like an Orca so I can take good care of my little brother or sister!” Makoto didn’t know if he wanted a little brother or a little sister. But it didn’t matter, whether it was a brother or sister, Makoto was going to be the best big brother to them! That he swore to himself.

 

That night, just before going to bed, Makoto took Ori-chan off his bed and after giving it one last hug, put it in his toy chest, “I am sorry, Ori-chan,” he whispered to her, trying not to cry, “I can’t rely on you anymore! I have to be brave and face the monsters alone. Because I am going to be a big brother now!” and then, he closed the toy chest.

 

* * *

 

Next day, on the way to school, Haru noted, “Makoto, you look tired.”

 

“I didn’t sleep very well last night,” Makoto told Haru, grinning a bit to show that it wasn’t a big deal, “I had some bad dreams but it’s okay, I should be fine.” Haru nodded and dropped the subject.

 

However, once in school, Haru noticed other things about Makoto that had changed. During art class, Makoto who was clearly having problems completing the assignment, did not ask Haru for help like he normally did. Makoto also didn’t ask for Haru’s help during home economics class. Haru wasn’t sure how to react. A part of him was glad to be spared the trouble but another part wondered why Makoto was suddenly not relying on him. But Haru didn’t say anything, thinking that Makoto might return to normal soon.

 

Makoto didn’t return to normal. As the week wore on, tt just got worse and worse as Makoto seemed to want to do everything by himself. It was seriously beginning to annoy Haru. “Why did you try to carry all those books by yourself?” Haru scolded, as he waited with Makoto in the nurses office.

 

Makoto tried and failed to stifle a sniffle. The teacher had asked Makoto to get a stack of books from the library and just assumed that Haru would go with Makoto. But Makoto didn’t ask Haru and tried to carry the books all by himself. He ended-up tripping under the weight while trying to negotiate the stairs. It was small miracle that his injuries were not worse.

 

“I thought I should,” mumbled Makoto.

 

“Don’t be stupid,” said Haru, “You shouldn’t have to carry everything by yourself.”

 

“But, but I am going to be a big brother!” declared Makoto, “I can’t rely on you to help me with stuff anymore or Ori-chan to guard my sleep! I have to be big and strong and, and… and a proper big brother!”

 

Haru was a bit confused but said honestly, “I don’t know about Ori-chan but Makoto should rely on me when he has to. I don’t like it when you don’t.”

 

“Huh,” Makoto too was confused but then he smiled, big and bright, “Haru-chan is being really honest with his feelings!” Haru looked away, embarrassed, “No choice then. If Haru-chan is being honest then it means that you REALLY didn’t like it when I wasn’t relying on you. So I’ll rely on you,” said Makoto, “Please help me look after my little brother or sister when they get here and help me be a good big brother to them.”

 

Haru just nodded as his embarrassed blush deepened. Makoto smiled more but before they could continue the conversation, the nurse arrived and started to dress Makoto’s cuts and scrapes. Finally, he was allowed to return to the classroom with instructions to be careful.

 

As they made their way back to the classroom, Haru said softly, “You haven’t been sleeping well because you stopped relying on Ori-chan,” he deduced.

 

“Ah well…” Makoto trailed off, not sure what to say.

 

Haru sighed, “Let’s ask our parents to let us sleepover at your house,” he suggested, “You can rely on me to guard your dream too.”

 

“Haru-chan…” Makoto flung his arms around Haru and hugged him tightly, “I love Haru-chan so much!” Haru blushed again and silently noted that Makoto said a lot of embarrassing things easily.

 

* * *

 

Some months later, Makoto’s mother brought home Ren and Ran. Makoto was amazed that he got both a brother and a sister at one go. He was so happy! A lot of people came to see the babies and all of them brought presents. Even Haru-chan brought a present. Already good with his hands, Haru had made them matching blankets with the help of his grandmother. Little Makoto felt really ashamed because he hadn’t even thought about giving his brother and sister a present! Now it was too late!

 

Or was it? Maybe it was okay to give a late present. So Makoto searched through all his precious possessions for an appropriate gift for the twins. But after going through everything, Makoto knew there was only one gift that he could give his precious siblings. So that night, when Makoto’s mother got the twins ready for bed, he took Ori-chan and brought it them, “Mommy,” he said, “I want to give Ren and Ran Ori-chan!” he declared, “So Ori-chan can guard their sleep like Ori-chan always did for me,” he explained.

 

Makoto’s mother smiled, “That’s really nice and kind of you,” she said as she took Ori-chan and put it on a table facing the crib, “They are too young to cuddle with Ori-chan,” she explained, “So for now, we’ll let Ori-chan watch over them from here. When they have grown a bit, we’ll let them share Ori-chan,” she said, “I mean, you know how to share right?”

 

“Yes!” declared Makoto proudly, “I love sharing with Haru-chan!”

 

“Well babies don’t know how to share and they have to be taught how to,” his mother explained, “Just like how they have to be taught to walk and talk and eat by themselves. If we don’t teach them how to share, they will fight over everything. Including Ori-chan and that would be very bad. So we’ll teach them properly, so they can love Ori-chan together without hurting her. You’ll help me won’t you?”

 

“Of course!” said Makoto, suddenly horrified as an image of Ori-chan being ripped apart in a tug of war came to his mind, “Haru-chan will help to! We’ll show Ren and Ran how sharing is fun!”

 

Makoto’s mother smiled and hugged her precious little boy. “You are a great big brother,” she told Makoto, “And I know you’ll always be a great big brother,” Makoto beamed and sincerely hoped that he would always be a great big brother to Ren and Ran.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t know why I keep adding to this fic… meh, this is the end for real!


End file.
